Governor Jeff Landry says a plan is in place to build a new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge and the overall cost is 25-percent lower than what the Edwards administration proposed. Landry says federal and state dollars will be used to pay for the bridge and tolls will be needed too, but 26-percent lower than what was proposed last year. Landry says the state will also get 15-percent equity in the bridge, which means 15-percent of the profits will go back to the area…
cut 10 (08) “….imperial Calcasieu”
The Louisiana Motor Transport Association does not like Landry’s plan, even though it reduces the proposed toll for trucks to cross the bridge from $12.50 to $8.25. Director of the L-M-T-A Renee Amar…
Cut 11 (11) “…Louisiana truckers.”

The regular session begins in March and Oil City Republican Danny McCormick has already filed what he calls a constitutional carry bill that would allow non-felons, 18-years-and-older to conceal carry a gun without a permit..
cut 15 (11) “…God Given right”
The regular session begins March 11th.

Visitation for Grammy-winning Cajun musician Jo-EL Sonnier is being held this afternoon, and his funeral will be tomorrow in Sulphur. The 77-year-old collapsed shortly after a performance in Llano, Texas last Saturday. Executive Director of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame Mike Shepard says Sonnier died doing what he loved…
Cut 6 (09) “…go out.”
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to AutismSpeaks-dot-org. Sonnier was diagnosed with autism as a child.

Governor Jeff Landry says a new deal has been struck to build a new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge. Landry says this plan reduces the overall cost of the bridge by 25 percent. He says federal and state dollars will pay for the bridge, plus tolls, but not as high as proposed by the Edwards Administration

Cut 9 (10) “…26 percent” 

Landry says because of Lake Charles’s proximity to Texas, 60 percent of the people paying the tolls will be from outside of Louisiana.

Among the bills pre-filed for the regular legislative session is Oil City Representative Danny McCormick’s conceal carry. Currently, Louisiana residents need a permit and must undergo firearm training. McCormick argues a gun owner can legally open carry and training is not required…

Cut 14 (08) “…their right.” 

2024 is Louisiana’s Year of Music and Lt Governor Billy Nungesser says as part of the celebration they’re launching the Louisiana Music Trail…

Cut 5 (12) “…in Vidalia.” 

You can learn more about it when it goes live on ExploreLouisiana-dot-com. And Nungesser hopes this is the year to bring back the Music Commission to lure more artists to record in the Pelican State.

And speaking of music, the 2024 Jazz Fest lineup is out. We already knew the Rolling Stones were on the bill for May 2nd, but producer Quint Davis released the entire lineup yesterday and it runs the gamut…

Cut 7 (13) “…fell in.”
Weekend passes are on sale now. You can see the full line-up at NOjazzfest-dot-com.

Governor Landry’s proposal to shift Louisiana elections to closed party primaries underwent major changes yesterday. A Senate committee removed statewide and legislative elections and only federal and state supreme court elections would move to closed party primaries starting in 2026. The full Senate will debate the bill today.

Once again Oil City Representative Danny McCormick files a bill for debate in the regular session to make it legal to conceal carry a gun without a permit.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

The 2024 New Orleans JazzFest lineup has been released and there are 624 acts and some of the biggest groups and singers in music. Including the Rolling Stones, Chris Stapleton, Neil Young, and the Foo Fighters. Jazz Fest Producer Quint Davis says it’s a massive undertaking to book hundreds of acts for two weekends in April and May…
cut 8 (09) “…aligned”
Tickets are now on sale.

The Louisiana Office of Tourism is launching the “Year of Music” campaign, which will be used to lure music lovers from other states to visit the Pelican State. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says they’ll be at CMA Fest in Nashville and DC Jazz Festival as a way to promote Louisiana’s musical culture…
cut 6 (11) “…trip here”

Governor Jeff Landry unveiled a plan last night to build a new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge in Lake Charles and he says this proposal is not as costly as the one proposed last year by the Edwards Administration. Landry says the new proposal costs 25-percent less and tolls have been reduced by 26-percent across the board.

Louisiana has launched the Year of Music Campaign to emphasize the state’s musical culture as a reason to visit the state. Colleen Crain has more…
Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Colleen Crain”

The Louisiana House and Senate are scheduled to meet at 9 AM to debate a proposal to move federal elections to closed party primaries and up for debate in the House is a Congressional map that would add a second-majority minority district. That second district would extend from Shreveport to Baton Rouge. New Orleans Representative Candace Newell…
cut 12 (15) “…support from”

The 2024 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Musical Festival line-up is out and and music lovers are making plans to be in the Big Easy during the final weekend of April and the first weekend of May. Jazz Fest Producer Quint Davis…
cut 9 (12) “….and state”
Tickets are on sale.

A Congressional map redesign that makes Republican Congressman Garret Graves’s sixth district a majority minority district continues to advance at the special session. The House Governmental Affairs Committee approved the map proposal, but Representative Ed Larvadain does not like that the second black voting district stretches from Shreveport to Baton Rouge…
cut 11 (11) “….zig zagging”
Senator Glen Womack is the author of the map and he says it accomplishes their goals, two majority-minority districts and it protects the re-election chances for Mike Johnson, Steve Scalise, Julia Letlow and Clay Higgins. It will be debated on the House floor today.

The regular session begins in March and Oil City Republican Danny McCormick has already filed what he calls a constitutional carry bill that would allow non-felons, 18-years-and-older to conceal carry a gun without a permit..
cut 15 (11) “…God Given right”
The regular session begins March 11th.

The 2024 New Orleans Jazz Fest Line-up is out and festival producer calls it a “Killer” line-up….
cut 2 (34) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

The state Office of Tourism will emphasize music this year in promoting Louisiana to visitors…
cut 4 (09) “…January 22nd”
Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says the Year of Music coincides with the launch of the Louisiana Music Trail which will go live on explore-louisiana-dot-com.

The House Governmental Affairs Committee votes for a proposed Congressional district map that makes Republican Garret Graves’ district a second Black majority district in Louisiana. A federal judge has ordered the Louisiana Legislature to draw a map with two majority-minority districts. Catahoula Parish Senator Glen Womack says his bill does that and it also…
Cut 10 (12) “…Scalise.”
Sulphur Representative Les Farnum added an amendment that puts all of Ouachita Parish in Julia Letlow’s district and all of Calcasieu Parish in Speaker Mike Johnson’s district. But it splits Rapides and East Baton Rouge between three different Congressional districts. Baton Rouge Representative has a problem with that…
cut 18 (09) “….that’s insane” (2x)
The bill will be debated some more today on the House floor.

State lawmakers have begun filing bills for the regular session that starts in March and north Louisiana Republican Danny McCormick has already filed his legislation to allow non-felons, 18 and over to conceal carry a firearm without a permit. McCormick’s measure ran into trouble in the state Senate last year…
Cut 13 (07) “…constitutional carry bill.”
This is the fifth consecutive year McCormick has authored a conceal carry bill. In 2021, Governor John Bel Edwards vetoed it.

The 2024 Jazz Fest lineup is out. We already knew Rolling Stones on May 2nd but producer Quint Davis released the entire lineup yesterday with much fanfare….
cut 7 (13) “…..fell in”
Tickets and weekend packages are on sale now.

Louisiana has launched the Year of Music Campaign to emphasize the state’s musical culture and influence on music across genres. Colleen Crain has more…

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Colleen Crain”

_______________________________________________

With the lineup for JazzFest 2024 public, Brooke Thorington has more from the festival’s producer about what all goes into creating a “Killer” line-up and what it means for the city.

Cut 2 (34)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

______________________________________________

Once again Oil City Representative Danny McCormick has filed a bill that will be debated in the upcoming regular session to make it legal to conceal carry a gun without a permit. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

______________________________________________

Louisiana’s Year of Music campaign has begun, and Lt Governor Billy Nungesser says it started with Louisiana’s Showmanship Award winning float and musical performance at the Rose Bowl parade. 2024 will be a year of promoting the Bayou State through its great music and rich musical history…

Cut 4 (09) “…January 22nd.”

Recently, Louisiana talents like Lauren Daigle, Jon Batiste, Laney Wilson, Amanda Shaw, and Lane Hardy have shined a spotlight on the state and Nungesser says Louisiana will be working on some social media take overs where they discuss what they love about Louisiana. The state is also launching the Louisiana Music Trail…

Cut 5 (12) “…in Vidalia.” 

You can travel the Trail. It goes live on ExploreLouisiana.com

As part of the Year of Music, Nungesser says, Louisiana will be participating in events like the CMA Fest in Nashville, ad DC Jazz Festival in Washington, D.C.

Cut 6 (11) “…trip here.”

Nungesser also hopes this is the year to bring back the Music Commission to begin to bring more music recording back to Louisiana.

___________________________________________

The complete line-up for the 2024 New Orleans JazzFest is out and it runs the gamut, from Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals to Zachary Richard. JazzFest Producer Quint Davis says this year’s bill is unlike those in years past with eight days of music at the fairgrounds.

Cut 7 (13) “…fell in.”

Booking acts for 14 different stages is no easy task. Davis says for example it’s taken five years to get The Rolling Stones, after the pandemic and one tour being postponed for health issues but 2024 is the year. He says several factors have to be considered when…

Cut 8 (09) “…aligned.” 

And because the festival is such a big draw, not just for music fans, Davis says some of the acts who aren’t even touring are coming to specifically play JazzFest.

While Mardi Gras and conventions are huge economic drivers for the Big Easy, JazzFest is right up there with them.

Cut 9 (12)  “…and state.”

For tickets and to view the full line-up visit NOjazzfest-dot-com

____________________________________________________________________

The House Governmental Affairs Committee votes for a proposed Congressional district map that makes Republican Garret Graves’ district a second Black majority district in Louisiana. A federal judge has ordered the Louisiana Legislature to draw a map with two majority-minority districts. Catahoula Senator Glen Womack says his bill does that and it also…

Cut 10 (12) “…Scalise.”

Womack admits his map is politically drawn so House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Majority Leader Scalise, and US Representatives Clay Higgins and Julia Letlow will be re-elected for the remainder of the decade.

Alexandria Representative Ed Larvadain does not like the map, because Graves’ district crosses the state diagonally so that black neighborhoods in Shreveport are connected with Black communities in Baton Rouge….

Cut 11 (11) “…zig zagging.” 

New Orleans Representative Candace Newell says this map is likely their best option

Cut 12 (15) “…support from.” 

The map was amended in committee, so it will need full House and Senate approval before heading to the governor’s desk. The amended version of the map puts all of Calcasieu Parish in Speaker Johnson’s district and all of Ouachita Parish in Congresswoman Julia Letlow’s district. East Baton Rouge and Rapides are split between three different districts.

___________________________________________________________

State lawmakers have begun filing bills for the regular session that starts in March and north Louisiana Republican Danny McCormick has already filed his legislation to allow non-felons, 18 and over to conceal carry a firearm without a permit. McCormick’s measure ran into trouble in the state Senate last year…

Cut 13 (07) “…constitutional carry bill.”

This is the fifth consecutive year McCormick has authored a conceal carry bill. In 2021, Governor John Bel Edwards vetoed the bill. McCormick pulled it from consideration last year after the Senate started to heavily amend the legislation.

Currently, Louisiana residents need a permit to conceal carry, and to obtain the permit, a person must undergo firearm training. McCormick argues a gun owner can legally open carry in Louisiana and training is not required…

Cut 14 (08) “…their right.” 

McCormick describes his legislation as a constitutional carry bill…

Cut 15 (11) …God Given right.“

A 22-year-old Kennetra Ary is behind bars in Livingston Parish after allegedly fatally shooting her father and sister. Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard says it happened at a mobile home near Walker.

Cut 12 (13)  “…their lives”  

58-year-old Kenneth Ary of Walker and 21-year-old Helen Ary of Tomball, Texas were found dead at the scene.

So far this year there have been 131 house fires across Louisiana and in the last four days, 38. Regional Disaster Officer for the Red Cross, Ed Bush says their agency responds to house fires and provides comfort and financial assistance and he wishes everyone would have a plan and prepare for the possibility…

Cut 11 (09) “…emergency plan.”

The winter weather has pushed the state’s blood supply to a critical low level. Because of the cold and hazardous travel, blood donations have dropped this week. Spokesperson for the Blood Center, Paul Adams, says they like to have a supply of three to five days on hand, but at the moment it’s down to one day…
cut 4 (10) “…anybody”
Adams says reach out to your local hospital about donating blood.

Jazz Fest released its entire 2024 musical line-up today. It includes country music star Chris Stapleton, and rock bands the Foo Fighters and The Rolling Stones. Nola-dot-com Time -Picayune entertainment writer Keith Spera says there will also be tribute to the late Jimmy Buffet…
cut 7 (10) “…as well”
The dates this year are April 25th through the 28th and May 2nd through the 5th.